Latham to have last laugh on Rudd?

[Richo83]

Interesting topic DR.

I have to say I agree completely with you and Albrechtson. I dont know Rudd personally, what I see of him publicly doesnt really inspire me to vote for him though but then again I dont wish him major ill will like I did with Latham in 2004.

Gillard on the other hand! She is quickly making up for the hatred I was lacking for The current mob of ALP'ers up till now. Just can't stand her voice, her attitude, her beliefs. In my opinion, Im not alone in my thinking either, sure most of my friends in the party hate her but even my apolitical friends dont seem to like her and approve of her like its required of her for The ALP to win the election.

Will be interesting to see how this pans out closer to the election. My political brain and heart tells me I should pray for Gillard to be involved though. Will be just what the Government need me thinks.

Considering you played a part of the young liberals and supported Alex Hawke it's not surprising you don't support Labour or have an inclining to vote Labour.

 

[Pessimistic]

Expediency.



Actually Costello is considerably 'left' of Howard, particularly on social issues.

A colition person when asked what the coalition stood for said "Im not sure, but we're not labour

Very revealing

 

[Contra Mundum]

Normally I don't like this journo, but my good friend and fellow Lib hater and ALP despiser the Pig referred me to it.

Basically Albrechtsen claims that Latham's nasty legacy is leaving Rudd two fatal duds in Garrett and Gillard.

I think she's bang on the mark, and the two G's will cost Rudd the election.


Latham’s anointed may still ruin Rudd’s chances
Wednesday, June 13, 2007
Janet Albrechtsen

MARK Latham detested many people but none more so than Kevin Rudd. The Latham Diaries are filled with invective about the “Nightmare on Rudd Street”, about Latham being unable to stomach the thought of promoting Rudd, about Rudd’s disloyalty and unreliability. Rudd was “a terrible piece of work”, Latham concluded.

Earning the scorn of Latham is, of course, no bad thing. It’s a case of join the club (and what’s wrong with you if you didn’t cop a bit). Most remember Latham as the man who became a walking, talking Labor time bomb, detonating before the previous federal election and then again, months later, when he dropped what Andrew Denton called a dirty bomb: his toxic diaries of life in the Australian Labor Party. When he slunk off into the wilderness to nurture his hatred of his political colleagues, most assumed the Latham factor was spent.

But perhaps Latham will end up getting the last laugh. Before leaving Australian politics to the tune of “hasta la vista, baby”, Latham planted a few landmines. He marked out Peter Garrett and Julia Gillard as the future of the ALP. They were rare in avoiding a dose of Latham vituperation. Sure enough, they now play central roles in the ALP. Bequeathing Garrett and Gillard to future ALP leaders may turn out to be Latham’s crowning legacy to Rudd. While it’s a struggle sometimes to remember most of Labor’s shadow ministers, Garrett and Gillard are high profile. They are also high risk. They have all the hallmarks of time bombs just waiting to explode.

Rudd has worked hard to portray his leadership as the mark of a new ALP, a sensible and more centrist Labor Party. And the voters seem to approve. Yet his predicament is that he is unable to pursue policies that add meat to the centrist soundbites. He is inevitably constrained by those around him, none more so than Garrett and Gillard, whose portfolios are critical to Rudd’s success.

Rudd is a bit like the alluring gentleman who has wooed his woman (that is, the electorate). She likes him a lot. But she is not so sure about the future in-laws, Garrett and Gillard. As they pursue policies on climate change and industrial relations that play to constituencies that move Labor away from the centre, they may bring asunder Rudd’s love affair with voters. If that happens, Latham will enjoy the irony.

Described by Latham as “simply outstanding” and “the most significant left-of-centre figure in Australia”, Garrett was the messiah who would secure Latham’s environmental credentials. “We’ll out-green the Greens,” Latham bragged in his March 11, 2004, diary entry.

Garrett’s recruitment warmed the hearts of those in the media already besotted with Latham, but the big man’s fingerprints were all over the Tasmanian forestry policy that would be Latham’s undoing. Even Latham conceded, after his electoral defeat, that out-greening the Greens was an “act of folly”. He lost the workers, those who make up the core Labor vote. Garrett was an integral part of that folly.

Three years later, Garrett may emerge as the force behind another act of foolery: Labor’s policy on climate change. Full of symbolism and grand targets of a 60 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, it will nurture the inner-city Labor voters. Garrett’s self-styled aspirational target of a 20 per cent reduction by 2020 will see the same crowd hailing him as their climate change hero, their own Al Gore. Garrett’s grandiose, deep-green aspirations are politically naive and explosive, inviting John Howard to presage a “Garrett recession” that we do not have to have.

Garrett’s grandstanding has potentially opened up a chasm for Rudd similar to the one that destroyed Latham. Once again, Garrett is chasing the vote of inner-city elites whose jobs are not compromised by idealistic policy at the expense of those whose jobs are on the line.

You can imagine the chat Rudd would like to have with Garrett: “Mate, Latham may have got you the job, but this time around no greenie stunts. Shut up about the 20per cent target by 2020. And for goodness sake don’t mention the coal industry.”

Unless Rudd can bring Garrett back to the centre, focusing unapologetically on the economics of climate change, we may see a repeat of that 2004 episode when blue-collar workers cheered Howard. Latham stood alone (except for the media) under a big tree in Tasmania’s Styx Valley, singing into the political wind.

Gillard was another Latham favourite. So much so that Latham told Denton on Enough Rope that Labor would have a good chance at the next election if Gillard were Labor leader. Ironically, Rudd has given Labor a real chance at the next election and Gillard has done her level best to undermine that by crafting an industrial relations policy that has people wondering whether Australian workplaces will return to the days of strikes and union standover men, compulsory bargaining fees and pattern bargaining. Unionists may be salivating, some of them publicly, at such prospects. But voters have every reason to get a case of wedding jitters as the nuptials draw closer.

While Rudd is wooing the electorate, Gillard is courting the unions with an industrial relations policy that puts them back in charge of the workplace. If that is not Gillard’s intention, she has not told the unionists. Last week, Construction, Forestry, Mining, Energy Union assistant secretary Joe McDonald was apparently caught on video telling an employer something along the lines of “You wait ‘til f--ing Kevin Rudd’s elected. I’ll be back.”

To be sure, Rudd is no union lackey. When Queensland union boss Bill Ludwig criticised the new Labor leader as “no friend of the union movement”, Rudd must have thanked his lucky stars. But every time Rudd tries to push a unionist out of his bed - telling Doug Cameron to catch up to the real world and asking Dean Mighell to pack his bags after he was caught on tape bragging about shafting employers - another unionist jumps in. And the bed is rather crowded, with Greg Combet, Bill Shorten, Mark Butler, Richard Marles, Don Farrell and, yes, Cameron all beating a path to Canberra.

Every time Rudd calms things down with his good-guy routine, he is overshadowed by Gillard doing her bad-girl gig. While the ALP leader moved quickly to rebuild networks with business, his deputy was threatening to thump them if they dared to get involved in the election campaign.

With Rudd constantly putting out spot fires in the two areas that will dominate that campaign - climate change and industrial relations - in his private moments he must have occasionally wondered: “With friends like this ...” And somewhere Latham is muttering to himself that he is a brilliant mastermind after all.

http://blogs.theaustralian.news.com...ms_anointed_may_still_ruin_rudds_chances/P20/

Alberchsen is a disgrace to Sydney University Law School - this is part of her Latham Jihad after he had the intelligence to call her a "skanky ho" - She is a truly despicable person who would have fit in well in the Ancien Regime in France. For a trained lawyer the disrespect she has shown the rule of law in her columns about Hicks and terrorism is contemptable. Everything she writes has an ulterior motive - I hope if Labor get in power they kick her off the ABC Board and put David Maher in her place - now that would be Karma

At least Maher has practised as a journalist - which is more than can be said for that slug

 

[Dry Rot]

Alberchsen is a disgrace to Sydney University Law School - this is part of her Latham Jihad after he had the intelligence to call her a "skanky ho" - She is a truly despicable person who would have fit in well in the Ancien Regime in France. For a trained lawyer the disrespect she has shown the rule of law in her columns about Hicks and terrorism is contemptable. Everything she writes has an ulterior motive - I hope if Labor get in power they kick her off the ABC Board and put David Maher in her place - now that would be Karma

At least Maher has practised as a journalist - which is more than can be said for that slug

As I said in th OP, I don't like her. But do you disagree with what she thinks - ie Gillard & Garrett are arse clowns?

 

[Contra Mundum]

As I said in th OP, I don't like her. But do you disagree with what she thinks - ie Gillard & Garrett are arse clowns?

I always had a problem with Gillard not because of her ability but because she is unsellable beyond the latte sippers

I have listened to Garretts parliamentary performances and he has been good there - he has been shithouse outside - its like making someone a senior coach without an apprenticeship - he is unable to be disciplined and stay on message outside Parliament

The reason that bitch wrote the article is she hate Lawyers of a Labor Orientation and Mark Latham - this is a way to snipe at her two pet hates

 

[Contra Mundum]

About 12 months after the election
If the ALP wins

Are you kidding - you know nothing about the ALP or the Union Movement - Joe De Brunn is the Secretary of the largest Union in Australia !

 

[evo]

Whats so evil about a Lathan Jihad,contra.Surely he bought it on himself.

Garrets a sellout,fair game too.I'm putting a personal Fatwa on his work,he can live but his musics dead.No playing of Midnight Oil in Casa del Evo.I'll miss 'written in the heart' but small price to pay.

 

[Contra Mundum]

Whats so evil about a Lathan Jihad,contra.Surely he bought it on himself.

Garrets a sellout,fair game too.I'm putting a personal Fatwa on his work,he can live but his musics dead.No playing of Midnight Oil in Casa del Evo.I'll miss 'written in the heart' but small price to pay.

Nothing wrong with a Latham Jihad - but for Janet baby it is set at "stalker" level.

How can he dance when his uranium filled bed is burning

 

[evo]

Theres nothing wrong with a bit of stalking.Keeps the bastards honest.What do you want from the press- only 'Sunshine and Lollipops'?

Seems fair comment to me.

 

[carlyp]

Yes but you're a gormless Liberal sop who thinks Howard is a superhero, so I'm not sure your opinion really counts for that much.

Sorry, but that's reality. The amount of dumb and invective 'K-Rudd' threads you produced in the months after he was elected cemented that.

That you hate them means you fear them. That is all.

I didnt realise you were so stupid.

I've made one thread about Kevin Rudd. It was an attempt at humour after Burkegate. How that correlates with 'K-Rudd' threads (plural) is beyond me. It seems to me you cant count, can you show me the rest please?

Secondly, I do fear the ALP because I remember what it was like the last time they were in power. I am entitled to my views, its not up to you to tell me whether Im right or wrong. You can not judge.

 

[MightyFighting]

Secondly, I do fear the ALP because I remember what it was like the last time they were in power.

What was it like, CP?

 

[carlyp]

What was it like, CP?

High interest rates, a unionised and controlled work place and big unemployment rates.

I was too little to work ofcourse but I remember the stress it put my parents under and my godparents also. I was about 6/7 years of age so its not my imagination of spending school holidays with my Dad and sitting in his ute when the local union boss turned up on my Dads site. The scuffle that started that day and the legal row that proceeded-that you can't ever forget my friend. Even if you are just a little girl.

 

[MightyFighting]

High interest rates... and big unemployment rates.

Hmmm...

It rained a lot more too.

 

[carlyp]

Hmmm...

It rained a lot more too.

Whats your point?

I grew up in Tasmania, it always rained there!

 

[Dry Rot]

Theres nothing wrong with a bit of stalking.Keeps the bastards honest.What do you want from the press- only 'Sunshine and Lollipops'?

Seems fair comment to me.

You're like Dry Rot - Liberal stooge!

 

[MightyFighting]

Whats your point?

I grew up in Tasmania, it always rained there!

My point is that apart from unions in workplaces, those things are mainly due to factors beyond the government's control.

 

[WA ROO]

Are you kidding - you know nothing about the ALP or the Union Movement - Joe De Brunn is the Secretary of the largest Union in Australia !

If Rudd does not do what Gillard and Combet tell him
They will roll him quick
After all the ALP is the ACTU's political wing

 

[evo]

You're like Dry Rot - Liberal stooge!

Yeh but chief gave dry rot his own board.

Wheres mine!

 

[just maybe]

I didnt realise you were so stupid.

I've made one thread about Kevin Rudd. It was an attempt at humour after Burkegate. How that correlates with 'K-Rudd' threads (plural) is beyond me. It seems to me you cant count, can you show me the rest please?

Secondly, I do fear the ALP because I remember what it was like the last time they were in power. I am entitled to my views, its not up to you to tell me whether Im right or wrong. You can not judge.

Hahahaha...you fear them when their economic management was far superior anything Howard/Costello cooked up? Is that why? Even your beloved Oz admits it.

Oh dear Carly, you are stupid if you think a recession correlates with bad government.

And as for your 'humour' thread...everyone saw it for what it was: and ugly bitter snipe.

 

[bobshoby]

The difference is that Keating and Hawke went some way to improving IR and weren't just union stooges. The same can't be said of Gillard and Rudd.

 

[Dry Rot]

The difference is that Keating and Hawke went some way to improving IR and weren't just union stooges. The same can't be said of Gillard and Rudd.

Don't think it's fair to describe Rudd as one.

 

[WA ROO]

The difference is that Keating and Hawke went some way to improving IR and weren't just union stooges. The same can't be said of Gillard and Rudd.

Rudd is not a union stooge yet
Rudd is the nice safe centre candidate the ALP needs to gain power.After the election if the ALP gets in then we will see if Rudd does as he is told or gets shafted

 

[carlyp]

Hahahaha...you fear them when their economic management was far superior anything Howard/Costello cooked up? Is that why? Even your beloved Oz admits it.

Oh dear Carly, you are stupid if you think a recession correlates with bad government.

And as for your 'humour' thread...everyone saw it for what it was: and ugly bitter snipe.

Nice to see your not man enough to appologise for being wrong about the fact I have made ONE thread about Rudd. Typical.

Sure a government cant controll the economic climate but they can make a hell of a difference by either using good fiscal and economic policy or not. Did the economic crisis in Asia effect Australia terribly? No because we had a government who had a clue about economics and was able to steer us through that period of time remarkably well.

You give me a hard time because you think you have me figured out. The fact is you have no right to do that because you dont have a clue about me.

 

[just maybe]

Nice to see your not man enough to appologise for being wrong about the fact I have made ONE thread about Rudd. Typical.

Shouldn't lie. Just because Howard does it.

One quick search and already another thread: http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=287725

Sure a government cant controll the economic climate but they can make a hell of a difference by either using good fiscal and economic policy or not. Did the economic crisis in Asia effect Australia terribly? No because we had a government who had a clue about economics and was able to steer us through that period of time remarkably well.

You need to listen to some Keating. He might blow your mind. Even read the Oz's editorial on Keating, as I know it will be tough for you to listen to Keating given your extreme political bias.

You give me a hard time because you think you have me figured out. The fact is you have no right to do that because you dont have a clue about me.

Nah, I pretty much do. Your behaviour on this board is fairly samey.

 

[carlyp]

Shouldn't lie. Just because Howard does it.

One quick search and already another thread: http://www.bigfooty.com/forum/showthread.php?t=287725



You need to listen to some Keating. He might blow your mind. Even read the Oz's editorial on Keating, as I know it will be tough for you to listen to Keating given your extreme political bias.



Nah, I pretty much do. Your behaviour on this board is fairly samey.

1. That second thread was quite complimentary of Rudd so it doesnt count, it was also only partly about Rudd so thats another reason why it doesnt count. Im not a liar and find it amusing that you have been caught out with mistruths now and so you're getting upset. 1 shit stirring thread and one thread where I was quite complimentary is hardly enough so say I have started countless 'K-Rudd' threads. Admit you're wrong.

2. Keating was the last decent leader of The ALP. I have enormous respect for him. Dont preach to me about extreme bias. I am loyal to my party and that is all that counts.

3. You dont have a clue about me. You dont know my favourite colour or my favourite artist or musico. I would appreciate it if you didnt get personal just because you disagree with my politics. Its the sign of a desperate person when they have to get personal to debate with someone.